Credit Karma to hire up to 100 ahead of new Charlotte office opening

As part of a plan to establish a long-term presence on the East Coast, personal finance company Credit Karma will open a new office in Charlotte, where it plans to hire up to 100.

The Charlotte office will focus on Credit Karma’s free online tax preparation service called Credit Karma Tax, the San Francisco-based company said in a statement Tuesday.

At the new Charlotte office, the company said it will hire “as many as” 100 software engineering and other technical roles in coming years. Some positions have already been posted on Credit Karma’s website, but the company will begin hiring “in earnest” in January, a spokeswoman said.

The company’s temporary office is open now in Ballantyne. The exact location of the new permanent location is yet to be determined, though a spokeswoman said they are eying space in the Ballantyne area. The new office is slated to open in April, she added.

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Credit Karma’s foray into the online tax preparation industry came through its acquisition this year of Cary-based AFJC Corp., a provider of online tax preparation, filing solutions and related services for individuals, tax preparers, financial institutions and marketers, the company said.

“We were drawn to Charlotte as its vibrant atmosphere and economic growth attracts talented people from all over the region. Credit Karma also has a strong following in the Southeast, so it made a lot of sense for us to be here,” said Ryan Graciano, Credit Karma’s chief technology officer.

Credit Karma, known for providing free credit scores and credit reports to consumers, was founded in 2007 and also has offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The company employs over 500.